Conduit for flexible shafts



W. E. B. JORGIENSEN J A' CONDUIT FOR FLEXIBLE SHAFTS Filed May 8, 1936 [Wow BERG JORGENSEN INVENTOR.

ATTORNEY.

-Patnted Jan. 5, 1937 PATENT OFFICE CONDUITFOR FLEXIBLE SHAFTS- Enoch Berg Jorge'nscn, Los Angeles, Calif., assignor to Vlber Company, Limited, a corporation of Nevada Application May a, 1936, set-m No. 78,686

14 Claims.

This invention relates to a flexible conduit or casing adapted to enclose a flexible power-transmitting shaft," and its object is to provide a casing, including terminal fixtures, which will support a heavy suspended weight, which will have suflicient flexibility and stiffness to conform to the bending of the shaft under ordinary use, which resists elongation, and for other objects which will be apparent from the detailed descriptlon.

My invention may be more clearly understood by reference to the accompanying drawing in which Fig. 1 shows a conduit with end fixtures,

partly in elevation, with portions in section,

showing the construction of my conduit; Fig. 2 shows a cross-section of the conduit taken on the line 2--2--; Fig. 3 shows in elevation a terminal fixture with separable flange.

The conduit or casing has an inner element I i comprising a spirally wound wire which serves to enclose the flexible shaft and act as a bearing therefor. The wire is preferably round in crosssectlon, although it may be of other shape. The terminal fixtures I4 and i5 are attached to the wire spiral by insertion of the ends of the coiled wire in the inner cylindrical openings of the fixtures and by putting the out-turned ends 82 and 83 of the wire through holes It and H in the fixture walls. The wire may of course be otherwise attached to the fixtures.

Overlying this spirally wound wire ii is a flexible, inextensible, non-collapsible tube ill of spirally wound overlapping and interlocking metallic strip commonly known as flexible steel tubing or interlocking armoured tubing.

M and I5 within the recesses 20 and 2|, and

holds the fixtures a fixed distance apart as measured along the tubing. Upon this flexible made up of braided or woven fine wires. This lacing, when drawn down tightly around the flexible steel tubing, which forms a noncollapsible circumficial base, and when attached preferably in tension to the terminal fixtures l4 and I5, permits flexibility of the whole assembly but resists or eliminates elongation, By keeping the lacing in tension between the terminal fixtures,

the individual wire strands of the lacing are kept tight against the non deformable metallic sheathing and the lacing cannot be elongated, be cause when it elongates, its diameter must decrease, andthe rigid metallic sheathing prevents this decrease in diameter. The wire lacing is attached to the terminal fixtures l4 and I! by en- This armoured tubing is seated in the terminal fixtures 'gagement in its meshes with teeth 22 which are 'cut or formed on the exterior portions of the fixtures. A tie wire 23 around the lacing behind or between the teeth strengthens the attachment of the lacing to the fixture. In ordinary use, there is a tendency, when the conduit, made up with wire'lacing, is compressed or shortened in length, either as a whole or in portions, for the fine wires of the lacing to "buckle", and by repetition become broken, and thereby weaken the tensile strength of the lacing, with ultimate lengthening and breakdown of the conduit. In my construction, I avoid this by tightly winding in overlapping spiral formation. a fabric strip N, preferably of rubberized'fabric, attaching it by tie wires or other means to the terminal fixtures. It is preferable to coat the lacing, and impregnate it, with a rubber-like cement before application of the fabric strip, in order-to better hold the individual wires of the lacing in place. The wire lacing may, of course, also be separately coated wlth'a rubber-like coating before assembly. By spirally winding this fabric strip under tension from one terminal fixture to the other, the wire lacing is drawn down tightly around the metallic sheathing, and any accumulated slack" is removed'from the end before attaching to the teethof the terminal fixture. The driver terminal fixture is made of such small diameter in its main portion that the 30 lacing may be slipped over it, and after the wire lacing is properly tensioned and attached, the separable flange or collar 28 may be put in place and permanently or removably attached to the fixture. 3

To further stiffen and add strength to the composite conduit, additional alternate layers ofwire lacing,' rubber-like cement, and spirally wound fabric may be added in a similar manner A final outer layer of rubber 26 is vulcanized over the conduit surface and under the collars or flanges 2'! and 2B of the terminal fixtures, to seal the whole against moisture, and to resist abrasion.

I claim:

1. In a conduit, the combination of a central coiled wire, a non-collapsible interlocking flexible metallic sheathing surrounding said coiled wire, tubular wire lacing overlying said sheath- ,ing, spirally wound fabric. overlyingsaid lacing tubular wire lacing overlying said sheathing, spirally wound rubberized fabric overlying said lacing and adapted to hold said lacing against said sheathing, and a flexible moisture-proof covering.

3. In a conduit, the combination of a central coiled wire, a non-collapsible interlocking flexible metallic sheathing surrounding said coiled wire, tubular wire lacing overlying said sheathing, a rubber-like cement between and covering the individual wires of the lacing, spirally wound fabric overlying said lacing and adapted to hold it against said sheathing, and a flexible moistureproof covering.

4. In a conduit, the combination of a central coiled wire, a non-collapsible interlocking flexible metallic sheathing surrounding said coiled wire, tubular rubber-coated wire lacing overlying said sheathing, spirally wound fabric overlying said lacing and adapted to hold it against said sheathing, and a flexible moisture-proof covering.

5. In a conduit, the combination of a central coiled wire, a non-collapsible interlocking flexible metallic sheathing surrounding said coiled wire, tubular wire lacing overlying said sheathing, a rubber-like cement between and covering the individual. wires of the lacing, and spirally wound rubberized fabric overlying said lacing and cement, and adapted to hold said lacing against said sheathing.

6. In a conduit for encasing a flexible power transmitting shaft, '8. driver terminal fixture, a driven terminal fixture, acentral coiled wire attached to said driver fixture and to said driven fixture, a. non-collapsible interlocking flexible metallic sheathing extending between said fixtures and overlying said coiled wire, tubular wire lacing closely fitting said sheathing and attached to the two terminal fixtures, and a closely fitting fabric strip spirally wound over said lacing and attached to the two terminal fixtures.

7. In a conduit for encasing a flexible power transmitting shaft, a driver terminal fixture, a driven terminal fixture, a central coiled wire attached to said driver fixture and to said driven fixture, a non-collapsible interlocking flexible metallic sheathing extending between said fixtures and overlying said coiled wire, tubular wire lacing closely fitting said sheathing and attached to the two terminal fixtures, rubber-like cement covering and impregnating said lacing, and a closely fitting fabric strip spirally wound over said lacing and attached to the two terminal fixtures.

8. In a conduit for encasing a flexible power transmitting shaft, 9. driver terminal fixture, a driven terminal fixture, a central coiled wire attached to said driver fixture and to said driven fixture, a non-collapsible interlocking flexible metallic sheathing extending between said fixtures and overlying said coiled wire, tubular wire lacing closely fitting said sheathing and attached to the two'terminal fixtures, rubber-like cement covering and impregnating said lacing, and a closely fitting rubberized fabric strip spirally wound over said lacing and attached to the two terminal fixtures.

9. In a conduit, a non-collapsible interlocking flexible metallic sheathing, a tubular wire lacing tightly stretched over said sheathing, a rubberlike cementing material in the meshes of and coating said lacing, and a fabric wrapping over said lacing tightly wound and adapted to prevent buckling and breaking of individual wire strands in said lacing.

10. In a conduit made up of separable concentric flexible tubes and having terminal fixtures at its ends, an interlocking non-collapsible metallic sheathing extending between and holding apart said fixtures, and a tubular wire lacing in tension overlying said sheathing between said terminals.

11. In a conduit made up of separable concentric flexible tubes and having terminal fixtures at its ends, an interlocking non-collapsible metallic sheathing extending between and holding apart said fixtures, a tubular wire lacing in tension overlying said sheathing between said terminals, and flexible fabric wrapping holding said wire lacing closely in contact with said sheathing.

12. In a conduit made up of separable concentric flexible tubes and having terminal fixtures at its ends, an interlocking non-collapsible metallic sheathing extending between and holding apart said fixtures, a tubular wire lacing in tension overlying said sheathing between said terminals, and a rubber-like impregnating coating over said lacing.

13. In a conduit made up of separable concentric flexible tubes and having terminal fixtures atits ends, an interlocking non-collapsible metallic sheathing extending between and holding apart said fixtures, a tubular wire lacing in tension overlying said sheathing between said terminals, flexible fabric wrapping holding said wire lacing closely in contact with said sheathing, and a rubber-like impregnating coating between said lacing and said fabric wrapping.

14. In a conduit made up of separable concentric flexible tubular structures including tubular wire lacing and non-collapsible interlocking flexible metallic sheathing, terminal fixtures having peripheral teeth adapted to engage said lacing and hold it in tension between the fixtures.

ENOCH BERG JORGENSEN. 

